12 COMMANDMENTS FOR QUALITY V CARVING

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Fleming
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12 COMMANDMENTS FOR QUALITY V CARVING

Post by Fleming »

I have compiled a list of suggestions forum members have made to increase the quality of your V Carve projects. Feel free to add your own or clarify the ones shown. Hope this helps you to get better quality :)
12 COMMANDMENTS FOR QUALITY VCARVING.pdf
12 Commandments
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Cobblewood Carver

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Tex_Lawrence
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Re: 12 COMMANDMENTS FOR QUALITY V CARVING

Post by Tex_Lawrence »

Fleming, on your method of hiding flaws with black, do you think that would actually highlight a Vcarved text letter/number in the bottom of a shallow (0.1") pocket? Do you think you can wipe that black off without wiping the highlight out of the letter?

What I normally do is apply a dark stain to the letters and wipe that off, but it tends to stick in the grain of the pocket a bit. I'll follow up with a cherry stain for the rest of the wood. This makes the letters even darker, but it isn't as consistent as I'd like.

That's why I'm wondering about your paint method.
Tex — Crooked Wood Products
Now there's a man with an open mind – you can feel the breeze from here.

Fleming
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Re: 12 COMMANDMENTS FOR QUALITY V CARVING

Post by Fleming »

Tex,

I do a lot of honorary type plaques for non-profits in black walnut. What the black background does in that case is highlight the foreground of any carvings and accentuates the V carved text. In lighter woods like cherry it does the same. This technique does not preclude cleaning up the carving before treatment. What it tends to hide are the small ridges in the bottom of the V carves where the V Bit cleans out large areas thus saving trying to sand those.

Paul
Cobblewood Carver

Jan.vanderlinden
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Re: 12 COMMANDMENTS FOR QUALITY V CARVING

Post by Jan.vanderlinden »

12 COMMANDMENTS????
Hell, I have trouble with just 10 !!!!
“I've learned so much from my mistakes, I'm thinking of making a few more”

ZipperHead55
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Re: 12 COMMANDMENTS FOR QUALITY V CARVING

Post by ZipperHead55 »

Nice list! This should be recommended reading BEFORE people post on FB or here in the forums with issues related to v-carving.

People don't realize how flat the material has to be to do fine line (ie shallow) v-carving, and expect some kind of miracles to occur with a board they found in their junk pile.

One thing I might add is to point #4: buy small angle scoring bits from Kyocera (or similar). I buy 30 degree bits from Drillman1 on eBay. I usually buy 1/4" shank bits, but the 1/8" bits are considerably cheaper, and if you break a tip (you WILL!) you can have a bunch in reserve. They are VERY sharp!!!! I had to make a trip to the ER when I reached under the spindle (it was off) and didn't see that I still had a bit in the spindle. Sliced in between my knuckles, resulting in about a 3/4"-1" gash that was deep.

I bought the Amana In-groove system, and to be honest, it was a waste of money. If you forget to reduce the RPM's, I find that it's very easy for the bit to "wobble" and any accuracy you were hoping for goes in the toilet.

Thanks for the commandments: I'm sure someone will help add to the list, helping out rookies everywhere!

Allan

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